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EPIGRAPHIA INDICA
18 punaḥsêtubandha-nair[â]śyâd=hâhâbhûtâsu prajâsu[1] ih=âdhishṭhânê paura-jânapada-
jan-ânugrah-ârthaṁ[2] pârthivêna kṛitsnânâm=Ânartta-Surâshṭrânâṁ[3] pâlan-
ârttan=[4]niyuktêna
19 Pahlavêna[5] Kulaipa-putrêṇ=âmâtyêna Suviśâkhêna yathâvad=artha-dharma-[6]
vyavahâra-darśanair=anurâgam=abhivarddhayatâ śaktêna dântên=âchapalên=âvismitên=
âryyêṇ=âhâryyêṇa[7]
20 svadhitishṭhatâ dharma-kîrtti-[8]yaśâṁsi bhartur=[9]abhivarddhayat=ânushṭhitam=iti | (||)
TRANSLATION.
(Be it) accomplished !
(Line 1.) This lake Sudarśana,from Girinagara [even a long distance ?] . . . . .
. . . . . . of a structure so well joined as to rival the spur of a mountain, because
all its embankments are strong, in breadth, length and height constructed without gaps as they
are of stone, [clay], . . . . . . . furnished with a natural[10] dam, [formed by ?] . . . . . . . . , and with well-provided conduits, drains and means to guard against foul matter,[11] . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . three sections . . . . . by . . . . . and other
favours is (now) in an excellent condition.[12]
(L. 3.) This same (lake)[13]─ on the first of the dark half of Mârgaśîrsha in the
seventy-second ─ 72nd ─ year of the king, the Mahâkshatrapa Rudradâman whose name is
repeated by the venerable,[14] the son of[15] . . . . . . . . .
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[1] Read prajâsv=ih=.
[2] I. has –ârtthaṁ.
[3] Read ºshṭrâṇâṁ, which is the reading of I. and B.
[4] I. has -ârthan=.
[5] I. and B. have Palhavêna.
[6] I. has –dharmmaṁ.
[7] I. and B. have ºhâryâṇa.
[8] I. has –kîrti-.
[9] I. has bharttur=.
[10] Literally ‘ non-artificial.’
[11] The word mîḍha of the original text has been translated only by Dr. Bhagvanlal Indraji. Taking mîḍhavidhânaṁ as a separate epithet of the lake, he rendered it by ‘ the outline of which runs in curves like a stream of
urine,’ to which Prof. Bühler added the note that mûtrarêkhâ is a common expression in Gujarâtî for “ crooked.”
Both scholars apparently took mîḍha to be synonymous with gômûtraka ; but this could hardly be approved of.
Besides, mîḍha-vidhânaṁ, as we now see, really forms part of the Bahuvrîhi compound commencing with suprativihita, and therefore either mîḍha by itself or mîḍha-vidhâna must denote something that was provided for the lake
just as conduits and drains were provided for it. In my opinion mîḍha is identical with the Pâla mîḍha (e.g. in
mîḷhena littâ, Jâtaka, Vol. III. p. 244, l.18, mîḷha-littaṁ mahâpathaṁ, ibid, p. 525, l. 27, mîḷhena taṁ vadhissâmi
pûti haññatu pûtinâ, Vol. II. p. 221, l. 25, mittadduno mîḷham adenti bâlâ, Vol. VI. p. 112, l. 2), meaning ‘ excrements ’ or ‘ dirt, foul matter ’ generally ; according to the smaller St. Petersburg dictionary mîḍha is used in this
sense also in the Lalitavistara, e.g. in mîḍha-giri, ‘ a dunghill,’ Calcutta ed. p. 240, l. 4. Now since foul matter
would not have been provided for the lake, that which was so provided must be denoted by mîḍha-vidhâna, and I
feel no hesitation in explaining this word to mean ‘ arrangements made to guard against foul matter or impurities.’
By the context vidhâna here as elsewhere becomes practically equivalent to parihâra or pratikriyâ ; on Râm. III.
24, 11 anâgata-vidhânam is explained by ajigamishitasy=ânishṭasya pratividhânaṁ parihâraḥ, and on VII. 21, 5
vidhâna is similarly paraphrased by pratikriyâ.
[12] If it were possible to say so with reference to a lake, I should have translated : ‘ is (now) in a highly
prosperous state.’
[13] The sentence is continued below, in the words ‘ with stones, trees, bushes,’ etc.
[14] As has been pointed out by Prof. S. Lévi (Jour. Asiatique, 1902, p. 100), the use of abhy-as and the statement that Rudradâman’s name repeated by gurus at once suggest the notion that for these reverend personages
the name was like another Vêda, demanding assiduous study and devout veneration, and yielding the most precious
fruit. Gurubhir=abhyasta-nâman seems a stronger expression than the ordinary sugṛihîta-nâman which will be
mentioned presently.─ In gurubhir=abhyasta-nâman (for the more logical gurvabhyasta-nâman) we have one of
those constructions which Indian grammarians impeach by the statement sâpêksham=asamarthaṁ bhavati, but
after all justify by gamakatvât=samâsaḥ ;similar constructions occur elsewhere in the text.
[15]I.e. ‘ the son of the king, the Kshatrapa Lord Jayadâman ;’ see the note on the text. In inscriptions and
on coins Jayadâman is called Kshatrapa, not Mahâkshatrapa ; compare Ind. Ant. Vol. X. p. 157 ; Archæol. Surv. of
West. India, Vol. II. p. 140 ; Ind. Ant. Vol. XII. p. 32 ; and Jour. Roy, As. Soc. 1890, p. 645.
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